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TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Lightning have released Guy Boucher from his head coaching commitment, effective immediately, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced this morning. Yzerman also announced that Martin Raymond and Dan Lacroix will share coaching responsibilities for the game tonight against the Winnipeg Jets.

"Guy has poured his heart and soul into the Lightning organization for these past three years and we appreciate all the work he has done," said Yzerman upon making the announcement. "But ultimately I am not satisfied with the direction we are heading and I believe making a change today is in the best interest of our franchise."

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I still don't understand, why they didn't draft Fowler some years ago. Their defense sucks and Fowler would have been a great addition to their backend. With Boucher fired and Stevie to pick the next one, waters could and should get a little hot for him if things don't work out again.

One has to keep in mind, that it is hard to built a competitive team with an internal budget.

If Stevie gets fired next, I hope the Wings pick him up so he can replace Holland, whenever he decides to retire.

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I still don't understand, why they didn't draft Fowler some years ago. Their defense sucks and Fowler would have been a great addition to their backend. With Boucher fired and Stevie to pick the next one, waters could and should get a little hot for him if things don't work out again.

One has to keep in mind, that it is hard to built a competitive team with an internal budget.

If Stevie gets fired next, I hope the Wings pick him up so he can replace Holland, whenever he decides to retire.

You do know that TB's is currently spending more against the salary cap then the Wings are right? $65.1m vs. $64.5 or 8th highest in the league vs. the Wings' 14th. And they spent about $1.7m more than the Wings last season too. Maybe their problem is not having an internal budget any more.

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Guest Playmaker

I still don't understand, why they didn't draft Fowler some years ago. Their defense sucks and Fowler would have been a great addition to their backend. With Boucher fired and Stevie to pick the next one, waters could and should get a little hot for him if things don't work out again.

One has to keep in mind, that it is hard to built a competitive team with an internal budget.

If Stevie gets fired next, I hope the Wings pick him up so he can replace Holland, whenever he decides to retire.

What has Yzerman done as a GM that has given you the impression he would be better than Ken Holland? Being a great player does not necessarily equal being a good GM. TB is loaded with talent (that was already in place before he took the job) and Yzerman has yet to acquire the pieces needed for this team to take the next step. I woudn't call his tenure a failure just yet, but I can't say I'm blown away with the job he's doing either.

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Guest Crymson

What has Yzerman done as a GM that has given you the impression he would be better than Ken Holland? Being a great player does not necessarily equal being a good GM. TB is loaded with talent (that was already in place before he took the job) and Yzerman has yet to acquire the pieces needed for this team to take the next step. I woudn't call his tenure a failure just yet, but I can't say I'm blown away with the job he's doing either.

Exactly. Somehow the consensus has been reached that the playoff success in 2011 was Yzerman's achievement, whereas the lack of success since then has been entirely Boucher's fault. That makes entirely no sense. If anything, the reverse should be true. Yzerman inherited a pretty good team in 2010. His major moves were the trade of Meszaros to Philly---which was really great for the Flyers---and the signings of Clark, Kubina, and Bergenheim. He later picked up Roloson and Brewer by trade. Clark and Kubina put up numbers that were decent. Bergenheim scored very well in the playoffs, but everyone knew that was a flash in the pan, and Yzerman didn't bother to re-sign him anyway. Roloson was huge for the Lightning in the playoffs, but has been bad ever since. Brewer was likewise fairly good in that playoff run but not so great since then; as Blues fans will tell you, he's not a very good defender.

Stevie honestly just didn't do that much, and he has failed utterly to address the team's greatest shortcomings over the past two seasons: defense, and---to a greater extent---goaltending. Roloson is old and was useful as a playoff pickup in 2011, but Yzerman chose to ride him as his primary netminder in the next season, gave him mediocre backups. This was a terrible decision, but Yzerman decided not to trade for anyone else. And in this season, he went with the dynamite (sarcasm) tandem of Garon and Lindback, which has been similarly unsuccessful. As far as defense goes, Yzerman traded away Meszaros and never really replaced him, nor has he made any real improvements along the blueline at all. Kubina was old and a temporary fix; Clark came and went; Brewer is average; Salo is past his prime; journeyman MAB is not really a factor wherever he goes; and Carle is an overrated defenseman to whom Yzerman gave a contract that nearly everyone believes was extremely overpriced.

Ironically, Yzerman's best contribution in 2010 was very possibly the hiring of Boucher. And now that's over.

Whatever the case, I'm as fond of Stevie Y as the average poster on this forum, but the fact that he was a great hockey player and a great leader doesn't mean that he's a great GM. And I think it's a combination of nostalgia and grass-is-greener thinking that makes some people here believe that he'd be such a great GM here.

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Exactly. Somehow the consensus has been reached that the playoff success in 2011 was Yzerman's achievement, whereas the lack of success since then has been entirely Boucher's fault. That makes entirely no sense. If anything, the reverse should be true. Yzerman inherited a pretty good team in 2010. His major moves were the trade of Meszaros to Philly---which was really great for the Flyers---and the signings of Clark, Kubina, and Bergenheim. He later picked up Roloson and Brewer by trade. Clark and Kubina put up numbers that were decent. Bergenheim scored very well in the playoffs, but everyone knew that was a flash in the pan, and Yzerman didn't bother to re-sign him anyway. Roloson was huge for the Lightning in the playoffs, but has been bad ever since. Brewer was likewise fairly good in that playoff run but not so great since then; as Blues fans will tell you, he's not a very good defender.

Stevie honestly just didn't do that much, and he has failed utterly to address the team's greatest shortcomings over the past two seasons: defense, and---to a greater extent---goaltending. Roloson is old and was useful as a playoff pickup in 2011, but Yzerman chose to ride him as his primary netminder in the next season, gave him mediocre backups. This was a terrible decision, but Yzerman decided not to trade for anyone else. And in this season, he went with the dynamite (sarcasm) tandem of Garon and Lindback, which has been similarly unsuccessful. As far as defense goes, Yzerman traded away Meszaros and never really replaced him, nor has he made any real improvements along the blueline at all. Kubina was old and a temporary fix; Clark came and went; Brewer is average; Salo is past his prime; journeyman MAB is not really a factor wherever he goes; and Carle is an overrated defenseman to whom Yzerman gave a contract that nearly everyone believes was extremely overpriced.

Ironically, Yzerman's best contribution in 2010 was very possibly the hiring of Boucher. And now that's over.

Whatever the case, I'm as fond of Stevie Y as the average poster on this forum, but the fact that he was a great hockey player and a great leader doesn't mean that he's a great GM. And I think it's a combination of nostalgia and grass-is-greener thinking that makes some people here believe that he'd be such a great GM here.

He did trade away Kyle Quincey for a first round pick. One of the best swindles in recent memory.

Also, he put together Canada for the 2010 Olympics, coming off the disastrous team they assembled for the 2006 games.

I still wish he was in Detroit and ready to take over Holland's duties.

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Guest Crymson

I highly doubt Stevie would hire a coach to attract one player, that would be stupid. But this certainly doesn't hurt Tampa's chances for DeKeyser.

From whom are you hearing that? It makes absolutely no sense. Blashill could not perform as an NHL assistant coach, and he's not yet fully found his coaching legs in the AHL. TBL insiders are saying that Cooper and Ruff are the likely candidates.

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Guest Crymson

He did trade away Kyle Quincey for a first round pick. One of the best swindles in recent memory.

He played intermediary, effectively trading Steve Downie for a 1st.

Also, he put together Canada for the 2010 Olympics, coming off the disastrous team they assembled for the 2006 games.

Anyone can look and see that the 2006 Canadian team was terribly selected. It is not difficult to put together an excellent roster of Canadian players; Yzerman simply took the best scoring talent available and used it. Brian Burke, meanwhile, put together an American roster in 2010 that very nearly won the gold despite Canada having far more hockey talent than the USA does. Does this mean to you that he is a better NHL GM than Yzerman?

I still wish he was in Detroit and ready to take over Holland's duties.

I think that the people who consider him some sort of savior are deluding themselves. Holland is still his better at this stage.

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Guest Playmaker

So if the Wings sign DeKeyser, in addition to finding Brunner, essentially 2 additions that cost the Wings nothing to get a top 6 forward and a possible future top 4 dman with small cap hits, does Holland still "suck"?

Is it possible the Wings had DeKeyser in mind when Lidstrom left and that is why they didn't make any big moves to replace him? For all the complaining, it appears we have a pretty solid blue line for years to come.

Really, I don't know what more Holland can do to please people.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Playmaker

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So if the Wings sign DeKeyser, in addition to finding Brunner, essentially 2 additions that cost the Wings nothing to get a top 6 forward and a possible future top 4 dman with small cap hits, does Holland still "suck"?

Is it possible the Wings had DeKeyser in mind when Lidstrom left and that is why they didn't make any big moves to replace him? For all the complaining, it appears we have a pretty solid blue line for years to come.

Really, I don't know what more Holland can do to please peope.

I don't hate Holland, but it starts with not bringing back players that shouldn't be here. Such as Sammy, Cleary (next year), Bertuzzi, Qunicey etc.

He needs to let the kids play, that's why I have a little beef with Holland, it's time to move on from the vets. I mean Sammy has played a total of what ? 3 games this year ?

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